Return to BSD News archive
Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!munnari.OZ.AU!news.mel.connect.com.au!news.mira.net.au!vic.news.telstra.net!act.news.telstra.net!psgrain!usenet.eel.ufl.edu!news.mathworks.com!udel-eecis!wuccrc!not-for-mail
From: chuck@ccrc.wustl.edu (Chuck Cranor)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.networking,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: TCP latency
Followup-To: comp.os.linux.networking,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Date: 15 Jul 1996 20:50:28 -0500
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO.
Lines: 35
Message-ID: <4sesh4$2ls@dworkin.wustl.edu>
References: <4paedl$4bm@engnews2.eng.sun.com> <4s8rtp$jsh@fido.asd.sgi.com> <4sej3e$155@dworkin.wustl.edu> <4seo88$fqd@fido.asd.sgi.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: dworkin.wustl.edu
Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.networking:45276 comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:23619
In article <4seo88$fqd@fido.asd.sgi.com>,
Larry McVoy <lm@slovax.engr.sgi.com> wrote:
>If you look at the directions of the computer industry, the Unix market
>is shrinking (not in real numbers, in percentage), while the Windows
>& Windows/NT market is growing. If you follow that out to its logical
>conclusion, at some point in the future, the only "choice" we will have
>will be a Microsoft product. In many ways, we're already there.
Ok, seems like a valid concern. But why do you think the Windows/NT
market is growing and over-shadowing the Unix market?
I believe this is happening because Windows & Windows/NT have a better
user interface and superior applications for the "average" user (when
compared to Unix). In this context, I believe the problem with Unix
is not the kernel (or its performance), so I don't see how working in
that area is going to address the problem?
I think that Unix without powerful applications and a uniform user
interface will not be able to make any headway vs. Windows/Windows-NT,
regardless of how fancy the Unix/BSD/Linux kernel is. In the meantime
Microsoft, given its resources, can simply absorb the good ideas from
Unix/BSD/Linux into NT's kernel at its leisure [and the GPL offers no
protection from that].
Of course, I also think that Windows has way too much inertia for
a fixed up unix-like OS to dislodge anyway. Most people don't
care what OS they run, as long as the applications run ("go with what
you know"). [sorry to be gloomy...]
chuck
--
>>Chuck Cranor, Graduate Student, Computer and Communications Research Center<<
>>Washington University, St. Louis MO http://www.ccrc.wustl.edu/pub/chuck <<
... help! my wife has accepted a job with at&t research in new jersey and
now i've got to find a job in new jersey too ...